AU2007100847B4

AU2007100847B4 - Measuring staff

Info

Publication number: AU2007100847B4
Application number: AU2007100847A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Bevan Gordon Steffensen
Original assignee: Steffco Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Steffco Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2007-08-06
Filing date: 2007-09-04
Publication date: 2007-11-01
Anticipated expiration: 2015-09-04
Also published as: WO2009018601A1; EP2179251A1; JP2010536019A; CA2694339C; AU2008286232A1; CA2694339A1; ZA201001529B; US8201340B2; CN101743452A; JP5325883B2; EP2179251B1; US20110289788A1; HK1145202A1; CN101743452B; NZ583610A; AU2007100847A4; AU2008286232B2; EP2179251A4

Description

I 04/09 2007 10:47 FAX 001161755943980 John R G Gardner 444 IP AUSTRALIA El 04

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ci BEVAN GORDON STEFFENSEN

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR AN INNOVATION PATENT MEASURING STAFF The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it know to me:- COMS ID No: ARCS-159533 Received by IP Australia: Time 11:14 Date 2007-09-04 04/09 2007 10:47 FAX 001161755943980 John R G Gardner 44 IP AUSTRALIA 0 MEASURING STAFF Technical Field The presecat invention, relates to a measuring staff and in particular to a measuring staff for use in a laser levelling system. The measuring staff of the invention is particularly but not exclusively suitable for measuring deptbs of footings, sub grades, step downs for blocks or bricks etc.

00 Background Art O) In laser levelling techniques a laser levelling unit is set up usually on a tripod at a levelling station which gives a clear view of all points to be levelled in a building site.

The relative height of a viewing plane is then determined from a known benchmark 0 level. A measuring staff can then be held vertically on a particular location on a site and the visible laser line which intersects the staff provides a reading fromn a graduated scale on the staff which enables the measurement to be read off by the staff bearer. Often an elongated length of wood is used instead of a graduated measuring staff and the line at which the laser beam inter-sects the staff is marked with a pencil or the like. If the same staff is used for takcing multiple measurements at different locations wround the site, many pencil or pen marks will appear on the staff and in these circumstances, ensuring that the correct levels are established can become difficult.

The laser levelling unit can also be used with a laser receiver or detector which is releasably dlamped onto a graduated staff via a slidable clamping device having a pointer and the clamp may be released and slid along the staff to adjust the position of the laser detector Until the detector detects the laser beam at which position, the pointer indicates a measurement on the staff. Use of a laser detector in this manner is particularly awkward and does not guarantee that correct readings are taken. Every time the laser detector is moved, thcrc is a chance it is moved too much, too little or in the wrong direction.

With a normal staff, the way to determine how high or low the ground etc. is relative to a datum plane is to either move the laser detector on the staff up or down as above or lift the staff off the ground, if the ground is too low and estimate the hieight.

Alternatively, if the ground is too high, the staff may be leant over until the laser detector receives, the laser beam and an estimate is made of the height. These methods are clearly inaccurate, COMS ID No: ARCS-159533 Received by IP Australia: Time 11:14 Date 2007-09-04 06/12 2007 16:24 FAX 001161755943980JonRGarer44 PAUTLI 0 John R G Gardner 444 IP AUSTRALIA 19105 03 0 Summary of the Invention INO The present invention aims to overcome or alleviate the above disadvantages by 0 providing a measuring staff which may be used with a laser levelling system for establishing correct levels in a building site. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description.

00 o The present invention thus; provides in one aspect a measuring staff for use with a 0 laser levelling system including a laser detector, said staff comprising an upper section o having a first elongated member and a second elongated member extendable and retractable O relative to said first elongated member, means for selectively locking said first member to 1tO said second member, said laser detector being adapted to be located along said first member and fixed thereto in a position al igned in use with a laser beam of said levelling system to define a datum level, a graduated scale on said first member and extending longitudinally therealong, indicating means movable with said second member and adapted to cooperate with said graduated scale whereby to provide upon extension Or retraction of' said second elongated member relative to said first elongated member, measurements on said graduated scale of levels above or below said datum level, and a lower extension section extendable from and selectively lockable to said'tipper section.

Most preferably means are provided for urging the second elongated member towards an extended position relative to the first member when the second member is not locked to the first member. The urging means may comprise resilient means such as a spring.

The extension section suitably includes a third elongated member extendable and retractable relative to the second elongated member and means are provided for indicating the extension of said third member relative to the second member. Means are also suitably provided for selectively locking the third member to the second member at a desired extension from the second member as indicated by the indicating means.

The extension section preferably also includes a fourthi elongated foot member extendable and retractable relative to the third member and means are provided for indicating the extension of the fourth member relative to the third member. Means are also suitably provided for selectively locking the third member to the second member at a COMS ID No: ARCS-i 71 478 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:49 Date 2007-12-06 06/12 2007 16:24 FAX 001161755943980JonRCGrer44IAUTLA j0 John R G Gardner 444 IP AUSTRALIA IM 06 04 0 Predesrdyte hmme extensio from the second member asidctdbthindtn mybeas oial moe nrltinteeo Preferably the firt and seondt members are telescopically engaged with each other.

Preferably the seondt member extends into the fhirst member and may be telescopically moved in relation thereto.

h Preelythe secn an hirdmebers aomre lescilngaged wit sceac tother.

o refperayte td member exh tends Tte secoind lmemer ande may be mutesoicall mmve ind elatondtheretoeggmn ihaohrmmert okteoet h te o Prefmem erabytetidadfut.ebr r eecpclyeggdwt ahohr Preferably the ourth in mem etens coinstes thi e mebr aponin ma s be theocall be mov ped inrlto thert ihtegautdsaet nict h xesorrtato ofthe espd ecbrltive ocking irs meanr uitably comris alcigampato sce toplock lirescve mebrstnecdohr The lockingg clamp orsresayb mounted fooeetwteon ner memerl an extended int engagemiet ith anoeterd membertodnal lok the net themoter m0adeber. rdutdsaean h onig en scnnce oteeodmme rug Preeraly the pindting means ompries awponther oointingembeanrnth.te memberapte te cperate urwith the raduatd cale r to ntth extendsion reation tof the second member relaie to thein fisbruitably the radated scalpuedwthte omrst liner saand tedpoitien ans isd oft fomer ovemen wit the second member.

Sacnbtlhy rautdscl n the poitigiman is connected to the secondh frs memberanedoftescd thmrohteso. tepitn en i oal ihtescn ebr Preferably the means for urgcing the ensootehid member toaretnelostito ltve teonefis member comprises a lro sprng which ia is ocaedo and captued withn the fhirst member and which cooperates with the second member to provide an indication of the extension of the third member from the second member.

COMS ID No: ARCS-i 71478 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:49 Date 2007-12-06 06/12 2007 16:24 FAX 001161755943980 John R G Gardner 444 IP AUSTRALIA 007 0 o 4A

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0 Preferably the means for indicating the extension of the fourth member relative to DO the second member comprises a ruler or scale which is provided on and extends along the

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fourth member and which cooperates with the third member to provide an indication of the extension of the fourth member from the third member. The ruler or scale may comprise 5 specified markings such heights of bricks or blocks. Respective rulers or scales may be 00 0 provided on two or more faces of the fourth member, each carrying different markings to represent different brick or block heights.

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COMS ID No: ARCS-171478 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:49 Date 2007-12-06 04/09 2007 10:47 FAX 001161755943980 John R G Gardner 444 IP AUSTRALIA LIJ08 o Brief Descriptiou of the Drawings In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein Fig. I s a side view of the measuring staff according to an embodiment of the invention in a retracted position; Fig. 2 is a front view of the staff of Fig. 1; 00 o Fig. 3 is, a side view of the staff of Fig I in a fully extended position (in reduced scale); Fig,.4 is an enlarged view of the region Aof Fig, 1; 0 Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the region B of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the region C of Fig, 2; Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of the region B of Fig. I in an extended position; Fig. S illustrates the manner in which the staff is initially set up for use; and Figs. 9 and 10 illustrates typical use of the staff of Fig. I.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment Referring to the drawings and firstly to Figs. 1 and 2, there is illustrated a measuring staff 10 according to the present invention for use primarily in a rotary laser levelling system, the staff 10 having a normally upper section 11 comprising an outer elongated hollow member 12 fonned of a rigid material such as aluminium and an inner hollow member 13 which is telescopically received in the hollow member 12, the member 12 for this purpose being of complementary shape to the member 11 and also being formed of a rigid material. such as alumninium., The members 12 and 13 are preferably of a hollow square section however they may be of any other sectional configuration. The staff additionally includes a lower extension section extendable from the upper section 11, the lower section comprising an intermediate memberl4 telescopically extendable from the member 13 of the uipper section and a lower extendable member or foot member 15 telescopically extendable from the intermediate member 14 such that the staff 10 is extendable from the retracted position of Figs. 1 and 2 to the tRilly extended position of Fig. 3. The members 14 and 15 are also preferably of hollow square cross section and formed of alumninium or other rigid material although they may be of any other sectional configuration or material.

COMS ID No: ARCS-159533 Received by IP Australia: Time 11:14 Date 2007-09-04 04/09 2007 10:47 FAX 001161755943980 JonRGarer PAUTLILJ0 John R G Gardner 444 IP AUSTRALIA [a 09 6 o As shown in fig. 1. and more clearly in Fig. 4, the outer member 11I of the upper section 11 is provided with a longitudinally extending elongated slot 16 arranged at an intermediate position, along the member 13 and a pointer or marker 17 is connected to the inner member 13 through the slot 16 for example by threaded connectors which project through the slot 16 such that the pointer or marker 17 is movable with the member 13 relative to the member 12. The outer member 12 is also provided with a oc liear graduated scale 18 which extends substantially the same length as the slot 16 and 0 the scale 18 so that the position of the pointer or marker 17 along the slot 16 can be read on the scale 18, In the illustrated emnbodiment, the graduated scale extends 200 mim on Clopposite sides of the central or zero position 19 of the pointer 17 as illustrated in Fig. 4.

The outer member 12 also houses a longitudinally extending compression spring which is connected to and acts between an end wall 21 of the outer member 12 and the adjacent opposing end wall 22 of the inner member 13 such as to apply a resilient force to the inner member 13 to urge the inner member 13 when not constrained to a ,position extending from the outer member 12 and resiliently opposite movement of thle inner member 13 into the outer member 12. The inner member 13 however remains connected to the outer member 12 by the spring A thumb screw or other locking screw 23 is mounted on the reverse side of the member 12 such that when the thumb or locking screw 23 is rotated in a clamping direction, it will extend into the member 12 to engage the inner member 13 to lock the inner member 13 against movement relative to the outer member 12. Tightening of the thumb or locking screw 23 to lock the member 13 relative to the member 12 thus allows the pointer 17 to be locked in any position along the slot 16 at the zero position 19 or on either side of the zero position 19.

The extendable intermediate member 14 which is complementary to the member l3is telescopically receivable in the end of the memnber 13 whilst the foot member 15 is complementary to the member 14 and telescopically received in the member 14 as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The intermediate member 14 is provided with a ruler Or scale 24 as shown in Fig. 7 which extends longitudinally therealong and cooperates with the member 13 to indicate by cooperation with the end of the member 13 the extension of the first intermediate member 14 and foot member 15 fromn the member 13.

COMS ID No: ARCS-159533 Received by IP Australia: Time (I-tm) 11:14 Date 2007-09-04 04/09 2007 10:47 FAX 001161755943980 John R G Gardner 444 IF AUSTRALIA 7 o Another thumb screw or other locking screw 25 similar to the screw 23 is provided on the member 13 to enable the intermediate memnber 14 to be locked in an extende!d position as desired relative to the member 13 and as; indicated by the ruler or scale 24.

The second exctendable member or foot memnber 15 is also provided with a scale or calibration markings 26 which are graduated to indicate a plurality of block, brick or presto brick heights on three faces of the member 15 to indicate required levels for brick 0 further thumb screw or other locking screw 27 is provided on the first extendable member 14, the locking screw 27 when tightened locking the second extendable member 0. 5 in a desired extension position relative to the first extendable member 14.

In use for building on a site, the floor level for the building which is marked on the building plan is established from the reduced level (RL) which provides a benchmark datum level for the building for establishing the floor level, overall height of the building and other levels. A surveyor will normally place the REL on the kerb which provides a level from which measurement is taken- For example, if the RIL. at the kerb is I 245mm and floor slab R.L. is required to be 1760mm, the R.L. for the floor slab is 515mm above the mark.

The staff 10 is adjusted so that member 13 is locked by the thumb screw 23 so that the pointer 17 is in the central zero position 19 mnd the lower foot member 15 is also fbffly retracted and lacked in position by the thumb screw 27. The staff 10 is then adjuste by sliding the intermediate member 14 outwardly from the end of the shaft so that it and the retracted foot 15 extend a total distance of D from the member 13, in ts case at a reading of 515mmn on the ruler 24 at which position the member 14 is locked by the thumb screw 25 as shown it) Pig. 8- The bottom of the staff 10 is placed in an upright position on the R.L at the kerb. A rotary laser level 28 is then set up level to establish a rotating laser beam, 29 in a horizontal plane and the laser beam 29 will intersect the staff 10. A laser detector 30 is positioned on the member 12 of the staff and moved therealong -until the beam 29 is detected by the detector 30 and centralised as indicated on a screen on the detector 30 for exact alignment of the detector 30 with the beam 29. The laser detector 30 is then locked or clamped to the member 12 which determines the datum R.L. Once the level is determined as above, the intermediate member 14 is slid back into the member 13 to the zero extension position as indicated on COMS ID No: ARCS-159533 Received by IP Australia: Time (I-tm) 11:14 Date 2007-09-04 04/09 2007 10:47 FAX 001161755943980 John R G Gardner 44 IP AUSTRALIA J1 08 o the ruler 24, The bottom of the -retracted staff 10 is now at the floor slab R.L. The user can then use the staff 10 to mark the floor slab R.L on a fixed point which is not going to move such as a fence post by holding the staff 10 vertically and aligning the laser detector 30 with the beam 29- Each day when the laser is rset, this mark is used to set the floor level. As the floor level relative to the RWE is now set, a number of functions and measurements can be made with the staff 10 without moving the laser detector from. its fixed position on the staff i1) as referred to above.

0 slab of a thickness of I100mi- with bedding sand of a thickness of 50mm, the cut level on which the slab is to constructed is required to be 150mm below the floor R.L. The 0 intermediate member 14 of the staff 10 is extended 150mm from the member 13 as indicated on the scale 24 and is then locked in place to the mem.-ber 13 with the thumb screw 25 as shown in Fig. 9. The thumb screw 23 which locks the two members 12 and 13 of the upper section I11 together is then released which will cause the member 12 to be urged outwardly of the member 13 due to the force exerted by the spring 20. The bottom or foot member 15 of the staff 10 is then placed on the ground where the slab is to be formed and the outer member 12 longitudinally adjusted relative to the inner member 13 until the laser detector 30 receives the beam 29 at which position the reading of the pointer 17 on the scale 18 will indicate whether the ground level is too high or too low. If the pointer 17 is above the zero position 19 as shown in Fig. 9 which has occued because the member 12 is pushed down against the spring 20 to retract the member 13 into the member 12, the measurement indicated on the scale 18 indicates how much the ground level is too high in relation the height of the cut. If the pointer 17 is on the lower side of the zero position 19 which occurs when the member 13 extends under the influence of the spring 20 fur-ther outwardly of the member 12, the reading of the pointer 17 on the scale 18 indicates how low the ground is in relation to the cut. By reading these measurements, an excavator can be told exactly how much he needs to either cut down or fill 'up to establish the correct level for the bedding sand and slab to be constructed thereon.

For digging footings, the depth of the footings 'below the slab W. are determined. For example -for a 300 mim edge beam and a 400mm deep footing, an excavation of 700nrun total below the floor RI is required. Thus the intennediate member 14 is set at a 700mni extension from the member 13 as indicated on the ruler 24 COMS ID No: ARCS-159533 Received by IP Australia: Time (I-tm) 11:14 Date 2007-09-04 04/09 2007 10:47 FAX 001161755943980 John R G Gardner 44 IP AUSTRALIA i1l12 9 o and locked in place. The member 13 is then released fromn the member 12 by release of the thumb screw 23 which permits the nmember 12 to slide in opposite directions up and down relative to the member 13 as allowed by the spring 20. The staff is then vertically positioned with the foot member 15 on -the ground and the detector 30 aligned with the beam 29 and the reading of the pointer 17 on the scale 24 will provide a measurement of whether an excavator has dug too deep or not deep enough in a similar manner to that described in reference to Fig. 9.

00 O Where it is necessary to step the footings whcrc for example the land falls away, the lower member 15 is slid outwardly from the member 14 as shown in Fig. 10 to a the marking on the scale 15 in accordance with the number of brickwork levels required. In 0 the embodiment of Fig. 10, the member 15 is slid out three markings indicative of three levels of brickwork. The member 15 is then locked in position by the thumb screw 27 to lock it in the height required and the procedure described above in relation to Fig. 9 repeated to determine the excavatioii or fill required for the footing.

In each of the above procedures, it will be apparent that there is no necessity to move the laser detector 30 which has been previously been set up in the correct position at the floor R.L. whereas the use of a conventional staff requires the detector 30 to be adjusted along the staff which inevitably leads to errors.

The present invention allows for the determination of all the measurement height of the slab from kerb RL, cut and fill heights to determine depth of cut or fill and depth of footings. Preparing of sand levels for the underside of a floor slab can be calculated at the office and a chart with all these dimensions recorded can. be given to the site foreman who can give these to the concreer and excavator for the required site preparation for a building.

The staff 10 may be used in many other applications such as in laying pipes, digging canals, checking if there are variations in the finished floor slab, placing concrete, measuring stepdowns for wet areas and garage slabs and preparing levels for a contour survey plan. The staff 10 however can also be used in many other applications.

The members of the staff of the invention are preferably aluminium extrusions of a square or rectangular cross section however the staff may be constructed of other materials. The staff may also be used with any form of laser or other level.

The terms "comprising" or "comnprises" as used throughout the specification and claims arc taken to specify the presence of the stated features, integers and components COMS ID No: ARCS-159533 Received by IP Australia: Time 11:14 Date 2007-09-04 04/09 2007 10:47 FAX 001161755943980 John R G Gardner 444 IP AUSTRALIA Z13 0 referred to but not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other feature/s,

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Q. integer/s, component/s or group thereof.

CO Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative embodiment of the invention, all such variations and modifications thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as herein defined in the appended claims.

00 010 0 0 COMS ID No: ARCS-159533 Received by IP Australia: Time 11:14 Date 2007-09-04

Claims

01. A measuring staff for use with a, laser levelling system including a lager detector, VaO o said staff comprising an upper section having a first elongated member and a second elongated member extendable and retractable relative to said first elongated member, means for selectively locking said first member to said second member, said laser 00 detector being adapted to be located along said first member and fixed thereto in a o position aligned in use with a laser beam of said levelling system to define a datum level, a graduated scale on said 'first member and extending longitudinally therealong, indicating means movable with said second member and adapted to cooperate with said graduated scale whereby to provide upon extension or retraction of said second elongated member relative to said first elongated member, measurements on said graduated scale of levels above or below said datum level, and a lower extension section extendable from and selectively lockable to said upper section.
2. A measuring staff as claimed in claim 1 and including means for urging said second elongated member towards an extended position relative to the first member when the second member is not looked to the first member.
3. A measuring staff as claimed in claim 2 wherein first and second members are telescopically engaged with each other and wherein said urging means comprises a spring between the first and second member.
4. A measuring staff as claimed in claim 3 wherein said first s. member includes a longitudinally extending slot adjacent to said graduated scale and wherein said indicating means includes a pointer connected to said second -member through said slot and movable with said second member longitudinally of said slot. A measuring staff as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said first and second members are adapted to be moved relative to each other to position said indicating mneans in a central or zero position along said graduated scale when said laser detector is aligned with said laser beam and wherein said indicating means is moved in use in opposite directions from- said central or zero position along said graduated scale COMS ID Na:ARCS-i 71 478 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:49 Date 2007-12-06 06/12 2007 16:24 FAX 001161755943980 John R G Gardner 444+ IP AUSTRALIA B09 12 upon extension or retraction of said second member relative to said first member to provide said measurements from said central or zero position. Dated this sixth day of December 2007 BEVAN GORDON STEFFENSEN By His Patent Attorney JOHN R G GARDNER COMS ID No: ARCS-171478 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:49 Date 2007-12-06